Lions Fall 48-12 to 3 X Defending Champs

Lovelady’s Season Ended by Mart

By Will Johnson              

Messenger Reporter

CALDWELL – The Lovelady Lions had another long road trip this past week as they traveled to Caldwell to take on the three-time defending state champion Mart Panthers.

The Lions had an easy time in their 50-12 Bi-District win over the Evadale Rebels but they knew Mart would be a completely different story.

The Panthers are on a mission and had set a course to capture their fourth consecutive Class 2A DII Championship. Over the course of the Area Championship contest, Mart showed they could score at any given time during the 48-12 win over the Lions. Lovelady, however, showed the Panthers may have a weakness as their rushing attack gave Mart all kinds of fits.

As the game got underway, Lovelady won the toss and elected to defer until the second half. Mart opened with possession of the ball at their own 39 and three plays into the game, the Panthers drew first blood.

Mart QB Roddrell Freeman picked up 16 yards on first down to move across midfield. Klyderion Campbell added another 15 yards on the next play and on the Panthers’ third play from scrimmage Keishawn Clater took an end-around 30 yards to the end zone. The extra point was no good but Mart had seized a 6-0 lead with 10:55 remaining in the first quarter.

After the kickoff, Lovelady’s first possession started at their own 36. They kept the ball on the ground as Shaun Easterling carried the ball seven consecutive times.

The Lions had moved across midfield and when Easterling broke free on a run inside the Mart red zone, it looked like the Lions might have something going. Unfortunately, a holding penalty brought the play back and Lovelady was forced to punt.

The Panthers took over at their own 39 and once again, it didn’t take them long to find the end zone. On the first play of their second possession, Freeman kept it himself and galloped 61 yards for a TD. Armando Chavez converted the extra point and with 4:02 remaining in the first quarter, Mart now led 13-0.

Lovelady’s next possession began at their own 38. On first down, Easterling gained seven but fumbled the ball. Fortunately, Lovelady’s Jaxson Reeves was there to pounce on it and keep the Lions’ drive going.

After Lions’ QB Slade Murray was held to no gain, Easterling picked up the first down and moved the ball into the Mart end of the field. Murray gained a yard on first down and then Easterling powered his way down to the Mart 39, which brought the first quarter to an end.

The second quarter began where the first quarter left off as Easterling carried the rock three straight times and moved the Lions down to the Panthers’ 21.

A loss of two was followed by a 14-yard pick up from Easterling which gave the Lions a first-and-goal at the Mart nine-yard line. On first down, Easterling was held for no gain but he worked his way down to the three on second down. The Panthers’ D stiffened at that point and threw Easterling for a three yard loss and then forced Murray to throw incomplete on fourth down.

Mart took over at their own six and two plays later, they had increased their lead. Campbell gained three yards on first down and then Neven Hickman found a seam in the Lions defense, made a defender miss and sprinted 91 yards to pay dirt. The Chavez kick was good and with 7:04 left in the first half, Mart now led 20-0.

Lovelady went three and out on their next series of downs and Mart took over at their own 40. Freeman picked up 24 yards on first down and then Campbell chipped in another 16 to move the ball down to the Lions’ 23. Following a three-yard pickup from Freeman, Hickman scored his second TD of the game – this time from 20 yards out. The extra point was true and with 3:15 left to play in the second quarter, the Lions now trailed 27-0.

With time winding down in the half, the Lions’ next possession began at their own 47. Easterling picked up three yards on first down and then Murray connected with Keivon Skinner for three more. Easterling picked up two on third-and-four but on fourth-and-two Murray faced heavy pressure and threw incomplete.

The turnover on downs gave Mart the Ball at their own 47. On first down Freeman threw to Carter for two yards and then the Panthers struck. With just over a minute remaining, Carter took a handoff and raced 51 yards for a score. Chavez nailed the extra point to bring the first half scoring to a close with Mart leading 34-0.

A sack on the final play of the first half by Lovelady’s Mikey Montemayor seemed to give the Lions something to hang their hats on as the second half got underway.

Lovelady began the third quarter with possession of the ball at their own 38 and chewed up most of the quarter. Easterling pounded his way across the midfield stripe, but appeared to be dinged up after all his first half carries. The Lions brought in RB Eric Anderson who picked up 12 yards on his first carry. After being stopped for no gain on his next carry, Anderson added another five to move the ball to the 33.

Easterling came back in and picked up 15 yards on three carries to move the Lions into the Mart red zone. From there, Anderson took over as he carried the ball six consecutive times and on his seventh tote, he crossed the goal line to make the score 34-6 with only 2:17 left in the third. 

The Panthers’ first possession of the second half started at their own 27, but on second down, Mart fumbled and gave the ball right back to Lovelady at their own 28. Easterling picked up three on first down and then added 10 more to his total as he moved the ball down to the 14.

Following a one-yard gain from Easterling, Murray picked up three and Anderson added one to set up a fourth-and-four from the nine. Anderson took the handoff on fourth down and bulled his way for the first down and carried two tacklers across the goal line for his second TD of the game to make the score 34-12 with 10:33 remaining in the game.

An onside kick attempt didn’t work out for the Lions and any hopes they had for a comeback were dashed two plays later. An illegal motion penalty pushed the ball back to the Mart 46 on first down but on second, Freeman kept it once again and went 54 yards for his second rushing TD of the game. The Chavez extra point made it 41-12 with 10:17 left in the final period of play.

A fumble on the Lions’ next possession – along with a personal foul – gave Mart the ball at the Lovelady 16 and on the next play, Campbell outran everyone to the end zone. Chavez knocked home the extra point and brought the scoring to an end with Mart ahead 48-12.

The loss ends the Lions’ season with a record of 7-5. Mart moves on to the Regional Round of the Playoffs where they will face the West Sabine Tigers. Mart has now won 22 consecutive games. Their last loss was on Sept. 27, 2019 when they lost to the Refugio Bobcats, 48-40. Later that season, Refugio won the Class 2A DI State Championship.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].   

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